Star Crossed Lovers
by Mon3lisa
Summary: Elricest based on Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet. Sequel to “Kiss Me”
1. Act I Scene 1

**Star Crossed Lovers**

Summary: Elricest based on Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet. Sequel to "Kiss Me"

Disclaimer: Fullmetal Alchemist (c) Hiromu Arakawa, Romeo & Juliet (c) William Shakespeare

Rate: PG 15

Warnings: Elricest. Medieval Ages. Sexual references and language. One-sided RosexEd. Traces of RoyEd, RoyxHughes. Others: TrishaxHavoc, CatherinexHohenheim, HughesxEnvy

Author's comments: After the funeral of the two lovers, Winlyn gave birth to Alphonse's son who in turn started a chain of generations. Sometime during those centuries, a family dispute (that no one remembers what started it) occurred and the family split to two families. The Adrics and the Elrics.

I believe that characters are the most important part of a story and I really liked my characters in "Kiss Me" so I wanted to use them again. I also wanted to write a fic so, searching for plot bunnies, found some in my English Class :D And the best part is is that it's the Renaissance, not the Middle Ages!!!!!! wOOt!!

So, I'm writing this in present tense for the first time too:D Enjoy!

* * *

Act I - Scene 1

"_Two households, both alike in dignity,  
In fair Centeral, where we lay our scene,  
From ancient grudge break to new mutiny,  
Where civil blood makes civil hands unclean.__  
From forth the fatal loins of these two foes  
A pair of star-crossed lovers take their life;  
Whose misadventured piteous overthrows  
Do with their death bury their parents' strife.__  
The fearful passage of their death-marked love,  
And the continuance of their parents' rage,  
Which, but their children's end, nought could remove,  
Is now the time spending' traffic of this page;  
The which if you with patient eyes attend,  
What here shall miss, our toil shall strive to mend."_

"Mark my words, Fallman. They will not get away with those insults." A man growls in the streets of Centeral.

"Of course not, Breda," replies another. "They were thrown at us, and we should be simply letting them fall to the ground."

"Well, they'll get it. Pick up those damned words from our feet and throw them back!" Breda quickens his pace, his sheathe casting small reflections from a dim streetlamp.

"Why not just stomp on them and forget of them? Don't let such trivial things as words end you up with a noose around your neck!"

"If I just stomp on them, the act will cause my blood to boil more!" Breda answers furiously, whipping around to face his friend. "And when I'm aroused I move more quickly."

Fallman sighs. "Fighting more quickly just arouses you more."

"Those Elric dogs always get me going! It's about time that I release myself!"

"Once you do," replied the wiser man. "You are drained and you find yourself in trouble for releasing yourself, especially to your enemy. No, we must head back. It is late."

This was a typical evening. The night had cast a carpet of black over the quiet city of Centeral, where citizens slept soundly around the time that those two friends were strolling about with swords hanging from their belts. It was quite common to see those two fellows in the streets doing chores, but for the first time they were carrying their swords and no one was there to witness their first night out.

"It's because it's late that I have to quickly end this!" He screeches, stamping his foot. "Soon it will be too early for night to cover the noise and besides, I _never_ run away! I'll stand, no matter what woman or man comes to stand in my way! I'll lay them all to the ground!"

Fallman abruptly turns around, a frown describing his disapproval for Breda's choice of words. "This shows how weak you are, for only the weak lies on the ground."

"That's true. That is why I mentioned them women! The weaker kind! The ones that get pushed down to the ground! I'll splatter the Elrics' guts over the walls and thrust their girls down!"

Disturbed, Fallman tries another argument, one he used countless times in the past. He didn't believe that this time it would work but he knew that it was one way to direct Breda's foul thinking to something a little less brutal. "But, Breda, the feud is between the masters and not the servants."

"It's all the same to me. I'm the good guy here, when I'm done with the men I'll go after the girls and chop their heads off!"

"What!?" Fallman gasps in horror. "But they are innocent!"

"Yeah. Chop their heads…or their innocence!" Breda throws his head back and laughs unabashedly, pleased with himself for giving a clever answer. "Let's get going! You're not a pussy, are you?"

His grey-haired but young partner's face reddens in anger and briskly walking to his side, replies, "I am not a pussy, though they do call us Adrics cats. But a pussy…I'm afraid the only ones I will be seeing are the ones that are waiting for us in the arms of the Elric women!"

"That's the spirit." Breda sniggers, gripping his sword. "I like your choice of words, Fallman."

He says nothing, but the silence that followed was enough to stir the two men even more as their thoughts wrapped their minds in desire. After a while, they enter the zone between the two households, the place where one would call the 'no-man's land' of Centeral. Hardly anyone lives there and there are still signs of past battle in sight. The two men were about to set foot, when suddenly…

"Fallman, see there. It is them, Elric dogs. Crouch, my friend, we shall ambush them." Breda quickly retreats to the wall, where its shadow is dark enough to win over the night itself.

"What bravery, Breda." Fallman says, stopping to look back with a sarcastic tone." A man fights fair, and hiding away and waiting for trouble will only be disadvantageous."

"Fine." Breda stands up. "You start a fight with them and I'll back you up."

"What, so you can run away with your tail between your legs?"

"My tail will be standing tall and erect, thank you very much. I am intending on not letting it droop until we slay the men. Just trust me."

"I still do not like it, though…"

"We should have the law on our side, let them make the first move." Breda suggests.

"All right, 'accidentally' flick them off, see how they'll react to that!" Fallman encourages.

"Or even dare to react, either way they're ruining their pride and we win." Breda grins.

He turns his head away and makes a rude gesture to the two servants before them. Their footsteps stop, but the two friends continue to walk as though nothing occurred.

"Excuse me," the Elric asks with forced politeness, earning a halt from his enemies. "Did you just flick your finger at us?"

"I flicked my finger." Breda replies.

"_Did you flick your finger at us?_"

Breda turns to Fallman and asks, "Will the law be our side if I say 'yes'?"

"No."

"Then I didn't, sir, flick my finger at you but I flicked my finger."

"Do you have a problem with that?" Fallman steps in, directly facing the blond man, whose antenna bobbed as the man slightly stepped back. "A problem? No, of course not!"

"No? Well, you're starting one and I'm ready for you. I am fairer than you and I will give you a fight with the same value as the trouble you're giving me. Equivalent Exchange, yes?"

"Ah, I see. More fair than I am?"

Breda frowns, sensing a trap. "Well, I-"

A prod on his shoulder causes him to turn his face to Fallman. "What?"

"Say 'more', it's one of their men. He's walking towards us and with one of our's close behind!"

Breda whips back to the Elric and hastily says, "Yes, that's right. Fairer than you."

"You liar!" Pipes in the hunched man next to the blond Elric, his thin mustaches bobbing across his pale cheeks. "No one can be better than Sir Dennis!"

"Yoki, please stay quiet as you were ordered to." The man sighs, rubbing his brow.

"My apologies, Master Dennis…" The stout man retreats to his place behind the blonde and stays quiet.

Breda, insulted by their dismissal of their presence, pulls out his sword and growls, "How dare you turn your sight away from us! Come, Fallman, draw your sword out! Remember the slashing blow I told you about!"

But before they can start, a voice calls out to them. "Stop it you two! You don't know what you're doing!" A black haired man comes rushing towards them, raising his sword to break the two servants apart.

A snicker follows him and gives a comment in return to his actions. "What, so now you're going to involve yourself with a fight with servants? Come face me, Roy, and face your death!" The Adric that had followed him previously now unsheathes his own sword, his green hair glowing dark in the night.

"Put your sword back, Envious, unless you're going to use it to help me put things back to normal."

"Normal? But this _is_ normal! And how can you tell me to 'put things to normal' if your own sword is drawn? Come fight me, you Elric bastard, come!"

He lungs forward and Roy narrowly dodges it. He licks his lips as he skids backwards before he pushes his toes from the ground and engages in a clash of swords with his nemesis. The servants, mimicking their masters, start to fight as well. The commotion awakens the sun itself and its early blood-like light fills the area, revealing the citizens that comes forth to see what the clatter is all about.

Cries of encouragement and excitement ripples through the scene as shouts of "Down with the Elrics!" and "Down with the Adrics!" divides the citizens into two separate groups one on one side of the fight and the other in the opposite. From the Adric side came pushing Jean Adric, master of the Adric Family. He steps into the circle and grins through his pipe. He extinguishes it and was about to put it in his pouch before a pair of arms wraps themselves around his arm holding his sword and stops him.

"Don't make a foolish mistake!" cries the owner of the arms. "Replace your sword with your pipe and heed back!"

"Dear wife, can't you see that this is a fight? And there's good old Elric waiting for me on the other side!"

He pushes the brunette back and charges forward while a tall man equally steps forward, squinting through his spectacles and his dirty blond hair swaying in its ponytail.

"Catherine, dear, stay back. This is going to be our final fight, one that will decide the fate of this family!"

"If you're going to fight then I shall fight for the fidelity of a woman is demonstrated through her position next to her husband!" Lady Elric steps forward, rolling up her sleeves.

"Catherine, please. This is a fight between men, not-"

"Look out!" Someone shouts.

Hohenheim Elric sees Adric's sword in time and blocks it with his sword. The great clash augments the cheers from the citizens and they too, begin to move forward with clubs and pans in their hands.

"STOP THIS MADNESS RIGHT THIS INSTANT!!" A great voice booms.

The clashes stop, the cheering fades. Dozens of eyes turn to face the source of the voice and there, standing between the two sides, stood none other than the Prince.

"Beasts! Murderers! Listen to your angry Prince right here! This is the third time that the peace was broken by the squabbles of the Adrics and the Elrics! What a ridiculous excuse to stain your hands with blood, what a disgrace! It was because of your reluctance for peace that I've lost an eye in the past! God knows what could have happened if it had gotten out of hand and I order you to stop before another incident like this happens again! If another peace-breaking fight happens again between you two households, the punishment will be death! Now off you go, citizens of Centeral, go back to your daily business."

The citizens, unhesitant, walk back to their homes where they would sit down at their breakfast table all energetic from all the cheering. The crowds disperse and there left the two families, not daring to look at each other in the eye as they wait for all else to leave.

"Elric, come with me to speak of this matter and this afternoon, it shall be Adric I shall speak to. We will talk of this matter. Come!"

Hohenheim steps forward and starts to follow the Prince before bumping shoulders with Jean, who mutters, "You were lucky, my man. I could've killed you if it weren't for Catherine. My, rumors are spreading that you've grown too old to control your own wife."

"What say you, dear Adric, if you are young enough to let your wife control you?"

"Why, you…"

"Enough!" The Prince bellows once more through his trimmed mustache. "Any more threats and I will make sure you pay dearly, to the both of you! Come, Elric."

The two men walk away from each other and so do the other family members. Hohenheim and Catherine, however, don't follow the Prince and they locate Roy. When they did, they ask him about what had occurred. He explains to them that the servants had picked up a fight and seeing them, tried to part the servants before Envious came and began to fight Roy. Then when the break of dawn appeared, the citizens showed themselves and the families were drawn together into a big battle.

"I'm just glad that Edward wasn't here to see this," Catherine sighs. "By the way, where could he be? If he were in the mansion then he would have been drawn to this but I haven't seen him all day…"

"'Tis too early to call it a full day, wife. The crack of dawn is just breaking, and about this time then should your son be locked in his room; with the curtains closed and the door locked. I have seen him climb out his window to wet the grass with tears before dew collects itself, very early in the morning. Oh, what could he be so upset about that he refuses to see day and consumes himself in the darkness like a wandering ghost?"

"Have you questioned his sorrow by any chance, noble Father? I've tried to ask him myself but he shies away from me as soon as I come near." Roy says.

"I've asked servants, friends, family, anyone that I can turn to for assistance but nobody knows. I imagined that perhaps you, Roy, might have known as you are his closest friend. But now I hear that you know not, but simply that he hides away from you yourself. If you do find him, ask him for us for we wish to cure him of his sorrows just as much as we wish to know the reason for his tears."

As if on cue, Edward Elric appeared out of the gloom, appearing with creased clothing and a messy appearance. His hands were in his pockets and his eyes had no shine to them and stared straight ahead. The Elrics at first don't notice him for it would have been nearly impossible to locate him with such a dark aura surrounding the young man. He blended into the bedraggled scene with his haphazardly tied hair and dark shadows marking every curve of his body. Over dark shadows under those golden eyes were tear-streaks. He had been crying again.

Seeing his approach, and remembering about the Prince, Roy quickly says, "Father, make haste for you must go talk to the Prince. While you do that, I will speak with Edward and find the truth."

"Very well. I shall leave it to you, then. Good luck and farewell." With that, the man took his wife by the arm and led her to the Prince's Mansion.

Edward approaches Roy and watches his parents walk to the opposite way. He stops and stares after them with glazed eyes. Roy clears his throat and pats his friend's shoulder.

"Well, Ed!" He calls cheerfully, playfully putting an arm around Edward and leading him away from the battleground. "A little bit of trouble this morning but it's all gone now."

"What time is it?" Edward murmurs, ignoring him.

"Well, it's sometime after eight now."

"Gosh, time really slows down when the world seems dark." He sighs. "Where did my parents go?"

"You know, Ed. You should be grateful for the 'slow' passage of time cuz well, life is gonna be short for you!" Roy laughs and ducks out of the way, waiting for an outburst.

But after some time, he realizes that he is getting no such thing. He peeks from under his arms and realizes that Edward is simply gazing at him, not raising a finger at what he said. "C'mon, Roy, it's getting old…" He says. "I want to go home and weep some more."

"…What's troubling you so much that you're not acting like yourself no longer!?" Roy asks, appalled at the lack of reaction. Usually they would have ended up fighting over his shortness since Edward protected his reputation and pride very dearly. And here he was, admitting that he wanted to cry like a child.

Edward walks away and Roy running after him, insisted for an answer. "In love?"

"Out."

"Out…?"

"With one who doesn't let me in."

"You should learn to control your desires, dear friend 'cause if she doesn't want you in and you don't obey her, she won't trust you anymore. But if it's too much to bear, you can take care of you desires or find someone else like I do who wouldn't mind the slightest."

"That's not what I meant, you bastard. How can you understand? Oh, if only there was a way! …what's for lunch? Wait a moment, I came here to understand what the fight was about and…wait, don't tell me. It's the two families again, am I right? Why must it always be about hate and not love! Why must the two things, so different from each other be so equally the same? Just like being unafraid and afraid and ink and blood! Being awake and facing your fears but when you sleep, your fears once more! Like bird wings and fish fins!"

Roy suppresses a snigger at his strange remarks and his dramatic tone. "_He's out of his mind, all right._" he thinks.

"…are you laughing at me?"

"No! No, rather…crying."

"Whatever for?"

"For…your heartache?"

"That's how Love is. It burns so brightly but when comes the wind the smoke consumes your breaths and stifles your chest and all that's left are embers that are the remains of the love you once felt. You try to take them back but you burn your hands and when you wash them with tears…instead of pitying you, they die out. Just like medicine and poison…Oh, God…" He turned around and walked away. "I'll be seeing you later, Roy."

"Hey, woah, wait!" Roy grabs his sleeve and pulls him back. "At least tell me who the girl is?"

"What, and hurt me more by the mere mentioning of her name?"

"So you are in love…"

"Out."

"Whatever."

"See? You're asking me to say something that would hurt me more. It's like asking a sick person to be serious. I'm telling the truth when I'm saying that I'm in love, Roy. In love with someone who will never love me back."

"Give me a break!" Roy laughs, clapping his shoulder again. "I mean, you're a good-looking guy! How could she NOT love you?" And it was true. Edward had sharp features and had a nice body despite his height. He had golden eyes that glittered like coins in the sunlight and had fair golden hair that he would put up in a ponytail. However, his eyes were dark from the tears that blurred them and his hair was in a messy braid. He didn't even bother to make his family-inherited antenna upright that morning.

"Alas, Roy is that she can, but chose not to. She doesn't want me to be in love with her nor does she want anyone to be into her. She's swore to the Church, which means I shall never be able to marry her and my life will forever be an unhappy one! And what a shame, for such a fertile beauty to go to waste by dying a pure virgin even though her remains will be part of the holy Earth. Oh, how I wish I could've lain next to her!" He groans, clutching his chest.

"But who? Who swore to be a virgin 'til death?" Roy insists, putting a hand over the arm that clutched Edward's chest.

"Rose. Divine Rose that makes even the Goddess Athena green with envy. Rose who shall never pass her beauty and wisdom to future generations. She'll never marry me. And so I must live a life of death." Tears stain his cheeks again and Roy relaxes now that he knew why Edward was so upset.

"Take my advice. Forget about her. There's always other women."

"If I look for other women, they will make me yearn for Rose even more for there is no other beauty like her. But even if I do find one more beautiful than she, then it will remind me more of my love. It's no use. Let me leave, there is nothing you can do."

"Edward," Roy firmly says, turning Edward's tearful eyes so that they were looking straight into his midnight-black eyes. "I will do everything in my will to make you happy again. Oh, you'll see. I swear I'll even die in the attempt."


	2. Act I Scene 2

Star Crossed Lovers

Summary: Elricest based on Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet. Sequel to "Kiss Me"

Disclaimer: Fullmetal Alchemist (c) Hiromu Arakawa, Romeo & Juliet (c) William Shakespeare

Rate: PG 15

Warnings: Elricest. Medieval Ages. Sexual references and language. One-sided RosexEd. Traces of RoyEd, RoyxHughes. Others: TrishaxHavoc, CatherinexHohenheim, HughesxEnvy

Author's comments: I love crossovers. And puns. Definitely puns.

* * *

Act I - Scene 2

"That Elric is just as bold as I am. Wanting peace yet making the first move. But always trying to be the one who tries to stop a fight first." Jean growls.

"You are both respectable men and it is a shame that you are turned against each other, or else I would be saying that the both of you could have had a good relationship," replies a young lady who strolled along with the man. "Anyhow, my lord, what is your response to my proposal to your son?"

Jean sighs and turns to face her. "The same as last time, Miss Winris, my son is still too young. He's barely fourteen years old!"

"Forgive me for saying this but there are boys younger than he who have made good husbands." She points out.

"I understand that your parents wish for your marriage but you must understand something. He's my only son. All my other children have died before him and he is my only heir. I would do anything for his well-being so my feelings go after his. Anything he agrees to, I agree as well. I want him to be comfortable and all right with this marriage so that I can be assured that he will be happy. When I can truthfully say that he is happy, I can live on in peace."

Lady Winris nods, not entirely understanding his feelings. She never felt the strong bonds between parent and child. The city she lived in rests in the country borderline, a spot always in battle with the enemy country on the other side. Because of this, her father and her mother were rarely available to her as her father fought in the battles and her mother ran the city hospital. They sent her to be married so that there would be a better alliance between the city and Centeral, and hence get more provisions and aid when they need it.

Jean notices her silence, and puts a reassuring hand on her. "I'm holding a party tonight. A masquerade so that when you meet him, your relationship will be internal. Now don't look at me queerly like that!" He chuckles, commenting on Lady Winris' puzzled look. "You see, he's the attractive kind. Handsome, I admit. He's inherited my wife's characteristics and it fits him perfectly well. Oh, you'll see when he trusts you enough to take off his mask." He smiles.

He stretches a moment of silence before grinning mischievously. "I think you will _especially_ fall head over heels when he takes off _more_ than that mask!" He laughs, his laughter echoing off the walls.

Lady Winris blushes and looks away. When the laughter didn't die down as soon as she had wanted it to, she tilted her head towards the direction of her to-be husband's window, which rested on the other side of the tower beside the wall. For a brief moment, she wonders if he would love her as much as she always wanted to be loved. Will Alphonse accept their marriage? Would her city be saved? Will everything be all right?

"There, there, now, I was only joking," he winks obliviously, his reputation degrading without his notice. He turns to his servant, a loyal man by the name of Fuery, and hands him a folded note. "Here, read the names in this note and go around town inviting the families that are written here. The party's at sunset chez les Adrics!" He grins, proudly using his French.

"And if I catch you finding another stray dog in the streets, I will disown you and cook the dog, do you understand?"

The young man nods his head vigorously and runs off to the streets.

Jean lets out a chuckle and beams at Lady Winris. "That chap is _so_ gullible, isn't he?" She looks at him in disbelief, then at herself for believing him. Surely he was only joking…

Meanwhile, Fuery's legs are taking him to the nearest mansion where he suddenly halts before its gates. He looks down at the note and realizes something terrible. He can't read! And what's more, he's been given such an important mission. As he is the personal servant of Master Adric, he heard his conversation with the Lady. If he doesn't give out invitations, no one can come. The festival will be canceled, and the Lady won't be able to court the Young Master and it will be the end of him! He nervously looks around, muttering curses under his breath. He spots two shadows over on the other side of the street and he runs over, and calls after them.

"Sirs! Dear Sirs! Please wait up!"

The two men turn around. It was none other than Edward and Roy. "I apologize for the intrusion," Fuery hastily says. "And good afternoon." He adds.

The black-haired man nods at him. The other man, a blond young man who looked disheveled and in need of sleep, smiles sadly at the servant.

"Pardon me, sirs but can one of you two gentlemen read?"

The blonde lets out a sigh. "I can read my own misery in the eyes of fortune tellers."

The servant senses a heart aching man and nods sympathetically at the short youth. "Hopefully, you read it not by heart? Anyway, please sir. I do not have much time. Can you read any given text?"

"If I know the language and the alphabet it's written in." Edward replies.

"Good, good. Could you please read this to me? I can try to memorize the names as you read them." He hands over the note.

Edward unfolds the invitation list. "Sir Oakeye and his lovely wife and daughter; Hughan's beautiful widow and child; Brother Cornellius and his fair daughter, Rose; Lord Sicatrice, Kimbler and his cousin, Envious…" He folds the note and looks up. "An invitation list! To where?"

"Up in the House of the Master, sir."

"Whose?"

"My Master's."

"Should've asked that in the first place," Roy mutters.

"And your master is…?" Edward asks patiently, pushing aside Roy's rude comment.

"Well, I will tell you bluntly that my master is the rich and great Adric of Centeral and he is holding a grand masquerade this evening at sunset. Since you don't seem to be an Elric, I will lightly invite you to come and have some wine with us," the young man smiles naively, not noticing the taller man's hidden sniggering. "Bye now!" With that, the servant was up and gone.

"Funny fellow!" Roy laughs.

"Indeed." His friend sighs.

Roy looks at him for a moment before saying, "So, your darling Rose will be attending this masquerade along with the other beauties of Centeral! Let's go there, and compare her to the other girls. You'll see that your Rose is no better than a weed!"

Edward turns his head sharply at him and glares threateningly. "If my eyes deceive me, then let my tears turn to fire! And may those witches, who are tested first through drowning, burn as liars! And besides, someone more beautiful than Rose? There is _no one_ like her! No one can be more beautiful than the perfect flower she is. Nothing can break that image from me just as much as she doesn't let anyone break her image."

"Oh, you're just saying that because you haven't seen the latest girls! I mean, they don't wear nun clothes and they're definitely more fun than the nuns!" Roy laughs, clasping a hand over his friend's shoulder and walking away with him. "I can assure you that there is someone else. And you'll se that I'm right, and you'll thank me for it."

"Fine," Edward grumbles, brushing off his hand. "But I'm only going so that I'll have something to do tonight. Nothing more, all right? I won't be looking out for your idealist ideas in the dance floor or anything. Tonight, nothing about my feelings for Rose will change. Nothing."


	3. Act I Scene 3

Star Crossed Lovers

Summary: Elricest based on Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet. Sequel to "Kiss Me"

Disclaimer: Fullmetal Alchemist (c) Hiromu Arakawa, Romeo & Juliet (c) William Shakespeare

Rate: PG 15

Warnings: Elricest. Medieval Ages. Sexual references and language. Very long read. One-sided RosexEd. Traces of RoyEd, RoyxHughes. Others: TrishaxHavoc, CatherinexHohenheim, HughesxEnvy

Author's comments: I took out the part in the prologue where it originally says "_Is now the two hours traffic of this stage;_" to "_Is now the time spending' traffic of this page;_". I took out the two hours cuz I thought that this will take more than two hours to read the whole story at the most.

Now I know it's gonna take a REALLY long time.

Prepare yourselves.

That's why I added into the Warnings. Sorry I couldn't warn you earlier.

By the way, if anyone can guess where I got the Pectoralis Majors from, they get kudos xD (Hint: Top YouTube Favorite)

* * *

Act I - Scene 3

The sky is a bloody red, the sun ready to dip itself into the mountains far out into the unknown dwellings beyond the city limits of fair Centeral. There is a great commotion as one mansion is swarming with people going to and fro, in and out of the multiple doors surrounding its walls. Like a bee hive during spring, there was a great buzz in the air with gossip, excitement, and work. Servants run in and out, carrying food and candles and tools for there was a festival to be occurring in a few hours and oh, how they ran about! It is the beginning of Fall, but the summer breeze still lingers in the air. Its warm breath smelling of roasted pig and wine. The night itself is drunk from the festivities and the moon is ready to attend this party by bathing the floors with its shadowy light. However, there are only two people who aren't in a great hurry, and it is Lady Adric, and her son's servant.

"With all this noise it's no wonder that he can't hear me!" Huffs a tall and fit man. "Excuse me, My Lady, while I go fetch him! Ah, what a busy hour! If I were younger, things would have been easier I tell you!"

"Now, Armstrong, if you could stop your speech and start your feet then you would be able to call for my son quicker as well." Lady Adric sighs, tucking a loose brown strand of her hair behind her ear.

"Of course! Of course!" The man states, turning his body so that it faced one end of the hallway. "I shall call him now."

"Wait, no! Armstrong! That is not what I me-"

"YOUNG SIR ALPHONSE ADRIC!!!"

The effect is astounding. Curtains sway with the roar, vases shake upon their tabletops, a maid below drops her plate and crashes to a million pieces. There is a hollow silence. Time seems to have stopped and so did the spinning of the Earth. One voice replies, breaking the silence with its innocent sounds of footfalls. A young boy emerges from the stillness and with his shining silver eyes and stunningly pale skin, emerges between the silk tapestries that lines along the marble walls.

"Yes, Armstrong?" Calls the young boy, his brown hair swaying in a tail as he halts before his mother and servant.

"Your mother is calling you." Beams he.

"Why, thank you Armstrong." Alphonse Adric smiles, stepping over to his mother who stood there immobile. "Although I do believe that my mother wouldn't holler like that!"

"My apologies, Young Master." Armstrong says, rubbing his bald head.

"Mother? What might be your reasons for my presence?" He asks his shaken mother, who only just received an ear-piercing howl moments ago. He gently shakes her, and puts her out of her shocked state.

"Oh, oh yes. I've forgotten how long it's been since I've last called for you," she shakily laughs, undoing her hair string and smoothing out split-ends from her hair. "…yes. Armstrong, dear. You know my son's age…"

"Yes I do. I can count his age by the clock." He proudly replies.

"He's fourteen…"

"No, My Lady. I can bet you my Pectoralis Majors that he is not fourteen. When is the Regata Storica?"

"In a few days."

"Yessir, a few days. On the night of the Regata Storica will your son, Alphonse Adric, turn fourteen. My niece, bless her soul, is the same age as he. She's in heaven now with her grandfathers. Poor thing, she apparently wasn't good enough for my sister." He shakes his head. He notices Lady Adric's cough and continues. "Anyhow, so he is born on the night of the Regata Storica. That's for sure. Oh, I remember the days of when he was a little toddler! What a strong-willed little critter he was, stubbornly refusing to give up from his attempts at standing on his feet! Oh! How tears of frustration beaded his eyes! What a marvelous determination! Such devotion! Oh, how tears of joy and pride fell from my eyes! Blessed little child he was!"

"And when he fell on his face for…oh, the fifteenth time at the most! He finally broke down and sobbed. I picked him up like a fragile leaf off the ground and let him ride my shoulders, and there he stopped sniffling. I said to him, 'My boy! How far you would go to get up by yourself and let freedom walk your steps! How moving, Little Master!' and he replied to me, the little bundle of innocence, 'I'm going to be Big Master and walk on my feet _all_ by myself!'. That babe, that Alphonse! Oh, how much emphasis he put on the 'all'! I'll never forget it. 'I'm going to be Big Master and walk on my feet all by myself!' Oh, how youth amuses me so!" He laughs long and hard until little beads of tears accumulate in the corners of his eyes.

"Oh, Armstrong! I told you not to repeat that story again!" Alphonse groans, an embarrassed hue coloring his cheeks.

"But how you said that! With your voice as squeaky as a young chick's and saying all tall and proudly, 'I'm going to be Big Master'! Ha! Oh, you're definitely a Big Master now with how much you've grown over the…what, ten years that passed since then!"

"Armstrong, please do hold your tongue!" Lady Adric says, raising her hands. "My, your tongue runs faster than time itself! Has it really been that long?"

"Yes, My Lady, ten years. Whew, to think I have been under your service for so long!" He bows, his gigantic arm slung over the low of his back and the other in a fold under his abdomen. "My apologies, Miss Adric. I shall leave. You had a message to deliver."

"Yes, but I want you to stay here but do please close your mouth and simply open your ears," her head shakes. "Anyway, my son, what do you say to a proposal of your marriage?"

"A marriage?" Armstrong echoes, astounded.

"Well, it's…It's an honor I do not wish for," her son replies, equally surprised.

"It is something you need to be thinking about now. There are men younger than you here in Centeral who are already husbands. In fact, I believe I married the same age as you are now…shortly said, my son, Lady Winris wishes to marry you."

"Lady Winris!" Armstrong gasps, substituting Alphonse's loss for words. "A charming lady! From the ends of the country too! Coming all the way here to meet him? A young, fresh maiden with strong parents and a beautiful face! Why, she's…she's perfect!"

"I wouldn't go that far, Armstrong." Alphonse whispers, not wanting his mother to hear.

"Why not, dear Alphonse?" His mother chimes in upon hearing his failed attempt to sneak a rude comment. "I've met her and there is no other girl like her. Not even fair Rose, who's named after such a beautiful flower, cannot compare herself to her!"

"A real flower!" Armstrong adds, excitement making his eyes shine in enthusiasm.

"So what is your response? Will you marry her? Your father is holding a masquerade tonight and the women you will be speaking to will take their masks off when they gain your trust. Observe their faces and finally, go to Lady Winris. You'll see that she's the fairest among them all and the most delightful young lady. She is your perfect partner as you, I must admit, is as handsome as any young man wishes to be. Oh, she is the one! There is no one else!"

"And you'll see what your mother means by 'perfect' when you and she become 'one' on the night of your wedding day!" He laughs.

Lady Adric ignores him. "Just give me a short answer, my son. Will you accept her hand and be her husband?"

He ponders awhile. "If I meet her and have a liking for her, then I guess I will." He replies. "But I will only love her as much as you want me to love her. I will act in the ways my parents wish me to act and only that. I only live for your sakes and for no one else. Therefore, I accept. But only because you wish me to do so."

With that, the young brunette turns and walks away to his room, leaving his mother and his servant in the hallway. The havoc for the festival continues to buzz; the bees are smoothing their wings and subconsciously sharpening their stings.


	4. Act I Scene 4

Star Crossed Lovers

Summary: Elricest based on Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet. Sequel to "Kiss Me"

Disclaimer: Fullmetal Alchemist (c) Hiromu Arakawa, Romeo & Juliet (c) William Shakespeare

Rate: PG 15

Warnings: Elricest. Medieval Ages. Sexual references and language. Very long read. One-sided RosexEd. Traces of RoyEd, RoyxHughes. Others: TrishaxHavoc, CatherinexHohenheim, HughesxEnvy

Author's comments: Ah, shoot. I just learned that 'Elric' came from Trisha, not Hohenheim…and the Petrocalis Majors thing? The video got deleted so you can't get the kudos! D: But I'll tell you: It's based on my favorite "The World of Golden Eggs" episode where Stephan repeatedly says that what he's wearing is not a bra, but a supporter for his Petrocalis Majors :D Oh, well. I can borrow the DVD I guess…

I had a difficult time choosing the roles of Izumi, Liz, and Armstrong. I don't really like the roles I gave to Liz and Izumi but…oh, well. It's a shame there's hardly any women in the play.

But you know why?

(Fun with History!)

In Shakespeare's time, women weren't allowed to act on stage so they had young boys about 12 years old (or who didn't have beards and a deep voice) played the roles of women characters. So the actors of Romeo and Juliet didn't really kiss, their dialogue just explained that they did.

And when I was thinking about the characters, I suddenly had this REALLY random mental image of Armstrong in a maid's dress o.o It took some time for me to stop my laughing but come on, friggin' ridiculous image there XD

Heheh, I hope someone draws that.

I also realized something else. If Alphonse from "Kiss Me" had a kid, then he's not a virgin. And Edward was so devoted to him that he didn't do it.

Which means…

Edward died a virgin and Alphonse didn't. Ha ha.

* * *

Act I - Scene 4

"How will we convince them to let us in? Did you come up with an excuse?" Edward inquired, turning his neck to show his perturbed face.

A suppressed giggle disturbingly made its way into his ear. "Yeah, sure, like we'll appear and come up with an excuse for being an Elric. Come on, man! Don't be so old-fashioned!" His friend, Hughessio, laughs before abruptly covering his mouth and giggling again. "We'll just go in, dance, and get out. It's not like we're going to be there all night!"

"You're the kind of person who would stay all night for a party." Edward sighs, trying to push his drunken breath away from his wrinkled nose. He approaches one of the torch-bearers and lightly taps his shoulder. "Here, give me the light. Heavy-hearted I am, I'll be the torch-bearer."

"Aw, come on Ed," Hughessio scolds, putting an arm around Ed's shoulders. "You gotta dance! It isn't a party without your notorious dancing moves!"

"No, Hughessio. You're wrong. The part of the notorious dancing too. You're light hearted but I'm heavy. Heavy and immobile with the weight that is my soul that my poor legs must bear to hold."

Hughessio frowns to his reply and deliberately bends his elbow a little more so that Ed's cheek nearly touched his. "You're a_ lover_, a companion of the Cupid," he asserts devilishly, unable to hold back a wicked grin of amusement. "Take her wings and fly with us!"

"Oh, will you be realistic? I am so in pain thanks to this Cupid of your's that pierced me with her arrow! Can't you see I am so sunken I cannot jump high enough to escape from my misery? And nothing can bring me back up to the Earth again!" He whines, tears marking the corners of his eyes.

He forces himself out of Hughessio's arms. His friend rolls his eyes but keeps his smile. He marches over to Edward's retreating figure. "But Love is such a _nice_ and _soft_ creature!" He mocks, his teasing earning a sharp glare of disapproval from Edward. "How can such a thing that can make you happy be such a burden to you? Surely you're not bending over for such a tender thing!"

"That's what you think! You. Both of you," Edward growls, facing him and Roy and halting everybody else with his icy glare. "You don't understand. You never fell in love in your life. You have no idea how much it actually _hurts_. It's not soft, it's rough and hard, painful to the touch. I'm telling you that there is no cure to my injuries because you can't reach into my chest and mend my bleeding heart for it would only cause me to bleed more." Edward lowers his head, his bangs forming shadows over his tear-lidded eyes. "How can you understand? Love isn't a mockery, it is a serious and fatal thing to have in your heart, the core of your soul…"

"If love's gonna be tough with you then fight back, stupid! Will you stop being over-emotional and such dark hearted? The world is light if only you would look beyond your blurred vision, take a look around! I mean, you've got us!" Hughessio exclaims, pushing the reluctant and groaning boy down the street.

Roy joins in, and adds his own comment. "Yes, Ed, the world might be cruel but there's always a bright side to everything. So what if Love is hurting you? Let Friendship and Family take care of you. In fact, your mother-"

"You can talk of his mom some other time, Roy." Hughessio interrupts, pointing a finger ahead of him. "We're close, and we can't let them know that we're Elrics so hush down."

The group slows down to look up at the building with mischievous smiles. Edward shies away from the mansion, shaking his head. "No, no. I…I really don't have a good feeling about this. I had a dream last night, and I have a really foreboding feeling about this…"

"Oh, so did I!" Remarked Hughessio, sarcastically. "And it was oh so terrifying. We were at the party and suddenly, the masks melted and turned into runny egg yolk and our faces were exposed but we were all ugly. All the girls ran from us and you fell off a cliff and Roy burnt his face when the egg cooked on his butt-kissed cheeks." The other men laughed while Roy frowned along with a very annoyed Edward. "But, in my panic I jumped off the cliff with you and I dipped downwards to catch your hand. Then suddenly, a Queen with light earthen hair and such grace descended from the heavens and caught the both of us. She was real pretty, she had pale green eyes as dark as the leaves of a pine tree and there was a little cherub following her and God forgive me but the little thing was so cute carrying you out of the water like fish and the lil' cherub laughing so sweetly, I almost fell in love with it!" He laughs, grinning and blushing stupidly at the memory.

"Cherubs? Fish? Hughessio, you're not making sense!" Roy cries, shaking his companion by the shoulders.

"And you're right. Dreams are spurred from fantasies that are nothing more than desires that are as insignificant as the air." Edward and Roy exchange a glance. _"So…the things he desires the most are…?"_

"Let's continue on," he says, not noticing their confused looks. He pulls his mask over his face and grins behind the cardboard frown. "Let's dance!" With that, he mock-bows and grabbing a torch-holder by the arm, scoots into the gates leading to the patio.

Edward watches him without an expression, and Roy inquires him about his reluctance after all, it _is_ a party. Edward smiles sadly and looks up to the red streaked sky. "I just have a bad feeling. Like the stars right now are planning something, it seems as though they are writing my future which is grim and bleak; an early death."

He looks down at his feet and raises his head once more to his friend, who stands a little way off of him looking slightly worried. "But come, my friend, it is a destiny God chose for me and I cannot reject it. I'll accept it, whatever comes, and right now He is waiting for me to participate in the dance." He nods to the others. "Let's go."

Roy laughs and stretches his arms out and smiles at their group of friends. "Yes, let's go!"


	5. Act I Scene 5

Star Crossed Lovers

Summary: Elricest based on Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet. Sequel to "Kiss Me"

Disclaimer: Fullmetal Alchemist (c) Hiromu Arakawa, Romeo & Juliet (c) William Shakespeare

Rate: PG 15

Warnings: Elricest. Medieval Ages. Sexual references and language. Very long read. One-sided RosexEd. Traces of RoyEd, RoyxHughes. Others: TrishaxHavoc, CatherinexHohenheim, HughesxEnvy

Author's comments: …wait, are you still a virgin even if you engage in gay sex? o.o

So, extra chapter : p Made an extra one as a bribe to you and as a punishment to me. Sorry for the long wait…school and all…so, here's your bonus chapter :

Btw, 'Hughessio' is pronounced 'Hew-sh-eeo'. The 'ee' and the 'o' come together to form a 'yo' sound.

* * *

The patio is full. Some musicians played at one end of the giant square while two sides hold tables full of food. Servants come to and fro, carrying wine and plates and plates of sweet-smelling entrées after another. The dancers were oblivious to them just as the servants were oblivious to the reason, no one yet knew if the heir of the family will court the young Lady who glided along with the others, a beautiful mask hiding her attractive face.

"Welcome, friends!" Greets Jean, ushering the invited in and shaking hands with them. "Oh, how marvellous you look, my Lady! Charming, charming, please enjoy yourselves! Why, isn't this a surprise! I knew not that you had a son! Splendid, splendid! Well, dancing isn't for standing around you know! Go ahead, go ahead! Ah, Lord Sicatrice! How nice of you to have come!" His laughter barely makes an echo in the festivity, there is too much buzz in the air to make one laughter accountable.

Meanwhile, his son, Alphonse, greets the guests and smiles whenever he can, secretly wishing to be somewhere else. He stands in the corner where the wine is served, and he occasionally takes a sip even though the frown wrinkling his freckles is obviously showing his dislike for the crimson liquid. He takes another sip anyway, using the gesture as a way to glance around his surroundings.

_"I don't want to marry," _he thinks, "_But…having children would be nice, I guess. But children aren't like Jewels' playful kittens. Oh, what I'd give to have one of them in my arms right now…" _His mind drifts away to images of orange-coated kittens mewing pleasantly under his fingertips. He smiles and his cheeks warm at the memory of their adorability. He takes another sip and continues to watch his guests having a merrier time than he.

At the same time, Edward finds himself in the middle of the dance floor all alone. He blinks, feeling awkward in his immobile position. He looks around and realizes that in his absent-mindedness, lost sight of Roy and Hughessio. He shrugs and makes his way to the buffet, deciding to pretend to eat and numbly watch the dance; if not look for Rose. He reaches the table on the far end of the patio where it is the farthest from the dancing area and where he could have a good view of the party. But as he reaches for the covered corner of a table, he abruptly stops at the sight before him.

It's Alphonse, standing with a perfectly harmonious smile splayed across his pink cheeks on the other end of the table. His lips are cherry red and his eyes are lost in a daydream, a beautiful hazy silver contrasting to his honey-toffee colored hair that nearly covers one eye. Edward can't help but notice that his hair is long and tied in lace, slung over one shoulder.

His breathing becomes short, and his lips twitch into a half smile. His golden eyes drink in the picture of the little boy before him and his cheeks catch fire at the sight of the boy raising a glass to his lips and drinking its contents, eyes squeezed shut and bunching the skin on his nose together, causing some of the freckles disappear under the folds. Edward focuses his eyes some more, taking account of how smooth his hands look, how the muscles on his throat undulate as liquid glided down it, and how the torch that burned close to the boy was casting a warm haze around him and creating a halo-like glow around his hair.

When the boy finishes his drink, he sets his cup down and Edward watches. He takes a sharp gasp when he sees a finger brush against the cloth on the table, and cringes at the mental image of those smooth fingertips glide down his cheeks and touch his hands. Such fragile looking hands. So _soft_ and_ tender-looking_.The sight is so astonishing, Ed isn't aware that he is staring until a servant accidentally bumps into him.

"Ah, excuse me sir!" She exclaims, checking for any spilled contents on her guest. She apologizes again, "Do excuse my clumsiness!"

"…H-Huh? What?" He stammers, turning to face the speaker. He realizes that it's the household's servant and grabs her arm, startling her and upsetting the cups she held on a tray.

"That…That boy," he breathes, looking back at Alphonse. "…Who is he?"

"I…excuse me, sir. I was only appointed for this night, I do not know who the guests are," she says, frowning annoyingly down at her wet tray. She sighs and takes a step forward, Edward releasing her arm at the same time. His eyes are already lost in the sight of the petite figure, and a deep and happy sigh escape from his lips and he leans against a pillar, unable to contain his gaze.

"Oh, how dimly the fire seems to burn next to him!" He breathes, shifting his posture. "He's too beautiful for the creatures of the Earth to handle. Too handsome for the Earth itself to not go green with envy. Oh, what a stunning sight…" He sighs, rolling the back of his head against the pillar and fixing a drunken gaze on the innocent boy. "Did I ever love until now? No, and I have proof. Never has my heart fluttered and beat so in comfort at the mere look of his young and rosy face. Never, and God forbid it if I force my eyes away from this boy."

Anyone who would have seen him from a way off would have believed that he had too much to drink for there such a content and warm but goofy smile playing with the muscles on his pink cheeks and seemingly staring off into space. However, there is a person who looks closer and realizes that something is off. He squints his eyes at Edward and at where his eyes are pointing at, then back at the suspicious person and after a while, gasps with realization. He's…!

"An Elric!" Envious hisses. "An Elric in _our_ festivity! Damn it all, how did that small fly get in? And mocking our party by thinking he has the right to attend, what the hell!" He grabs a servant by the arm and roughly yanks his ear close to his lips and growls an order, "Get my sword, the sharpest one!" The servant leaves his presence in a hurry, no one is fond of his attitude when he's irritated. Envious rolls up his sleeves and bares his sharp teeth, snarling as he waits impatiently for the servant.

"Oh, what is it _now_, my nephew?" Someone claps a hand on his back. Envious whirls around, and at the sight of the person doesn't in the slightest soften his glare.

"It's him, Uncle." He whispers, emphasizing on the 'him'. "It's an Elric. He's there, standing in the corner…"

Jean looks in his direction and merely shrugs at the un-invited. "Envious, if you're going to cause trouble again I'll be in trouble. I recognize him, he's Edward Elric-"

"Yes, Edward Elric! That son of a-"

"Now, now, now, Envious, he's respected by this city. See how polite he is? And now look at yourself. Do wipe that frown off your face and cover it with some wine. Yes, that's what you need, a small drink." He beams, his nephew giving him a sarcastic glance at his grinning cheeks colored by alcohol. "Come on now, it's really not nice to see a frown (especially from you) in such a lively party!"

Envious roughly shakes him off and snaps. "I find it to be no sin to strike him dead! It's shameful!"

"Oh, so now suddenly you're in charge of the guests? By golly gosh, the host of the party and the House of the Household is, my goodness gracious, me!" He shouts angrily. "You cocky little sap, speaking back to me like this! Disgraceful. I'd have a word with your mother if she were alive! Goodness, behave yourself. You're embarrassing me and your reputation. Come off it!" He shakes his head and takes him by the cuff of his collar. "Come on, we have a party to attend. We must have you dance! I haven't seen you ask a girl not once since the party began! Or are you into men?" He laughs, dragging his inamused nephew to the dance floor. They disappear into the crowd.

Meanwhile, Edward made a move towards Alphonse and his reaction is a positive one. The young boy's eyes are sparkling with amusement and wonder, as the golden pair closes the space between them and the silver eyes. He takes his hand in his, earning a small grin from the younger boy.

"Hello, little one," He says, a blush answering his greeting. "But wait, how rude of me to call you that; you're almost as big as the world!" Alphonse giggles, and lets the older boy's hands lead him behind the curtain behind the table.

"I'm not that tall," he whispers, excitement tightening his vocal cords and causing his voice to sound young and shrill. "I'm still thirteen, but I'm growing. I'm guessing that you are like me?"

Edward smiles, even though normally he would've shouted at the one who had indirectly commented on his height. "No, little one, I'm slightly older but not too much to make a difference. And what matters? Age and height don't always coincide, just as the faces of angels don't match with your's because your's is far more fair."

Alphonse's blush depends, although the shadow of the curtains covers it from Edward's engrossed eyes. "You do realize that you're speaking to a man?"

"But you're not a man just yet, you're still little, little one." Edward grins, inching his way towards his lips.

"And neither are you!" He laughs, noticing the other boy's edging face. He moves his face closer enough to feel heat radiating from his glazed look, curious to see what this older and amusing boy will do.

"Then let us, children, break our innocence together, and we'll no longer be children." Edward gently lays his lips upon Alphonse's and kisses him as softly as he can.

They stay a moment like this, two lips pulling the breath out of the other in a warm engagement of lips. When they break apart, Alphonse immediately misses the taste and feeling of soft, warm lips upon his own. "Oh, but you stole my innocence away! And I'm still a child as you say, how will I get it back?"

Edward jokingly gasps and tenderly loops his arm around the boy. "I stole your innocence? I am so guilty of so many things that I do not deserve such thing! I shall give it back to you and trouble you no more." Their giggles meet in another kiss and their beating chests press close against each other. Their arms subconsciously find their way around the other's body as they tighten the space between the two. Their warm bodies are pressed flush against each other and they smile contentedly under their kisses.

"Alphonse? Little Master, where are you? Your Mother wishes to see you!" Calls the unmistaken voice of Armstrong. "Alphonse? Where are you? Alphonse!!"

The little boy unwillingly pulls away from the kiss. "It's my servant, and he'll stir up a lot of commotion if I don't show myself…" Edward attempts to turn his head and make him ignore the callings by kissing his neck but his attempt is disrupted with a push of the younger lover's hands. Alphonse looks out of the curtains and calls for his servant. He whips around and faces Edward. "Will we see each other again?"

"Alphonse! What are you doing, hiding behind curtains are we?" Armstrong breaks in, disturbing their private space with his grand figure of blinding brilliance. "Your mother wishes to speak to you."

Alphonse flashes a quick smile to Edward before retreating into the festival. Edward watches him with dismay but satisfied content filling his insides with something warm and jelly-like. But at least his knees can straighten out again…

"Who is his mother?" He asks Armstrong who still stood in his presence and is straightening the curtains.

"Hmm?" He ushers him out of the corner and helps him out of the corner. As he makes his way out of the tables the servant replies to his question. "She is the Lady of the household and wife to the host of this party. My Mistress, if you also want to know. And her son, the one you were speaking to, is the one I've been taking care of for fourteen years now." He beams with pride, not noticing Edward's ashen face. "And a delightful young man to be with! You were lucky you had a chance to strike a conversation with him, the way he speaks is truly and honestly lovely! Why, I remember when this one time…"

"Oh, unfortunate Fate! Why must you curse me to love with my own enemy??" He cries to himself, ignoring the servant's rants about the past.

"Ed? Ed! There you are!" Roy appears out of the blue and grabs his shoulder and tries to shake Ed from his shocked state, not knowing the real reason. "C'mon, someone spilled the beans. We gotta go!"

"I knew there would be misfortune tonight but in this way? Dear God…" His voice trails away.

"Let's go!" Roy urges, finally knocking Ed to his senses and making him run for the door.

Alphonse comes back to where Edward stood only a few moments ago, and watches the guests starting to leave, thinking that the commotion the small gang of Elrics were making signified that the party was over. His position allows him a view of the entire square, and standing with Armstrong he darts his eyes to and fro from one person to another.

"Armstrong?" He asks timidly. He nods his head towards one masked guest. "Who might that be?"

"That would be Sir Oakeye." Armstrong answers after squinting at the stern-looking guest.

"And that?"

"That would be...ah, Rose."

"And he?"

"Your cousin's cousin, Kimbler."

"What about..." he whispers, edging onto Armstrong's face. "...Him?"

He points to a certain individual who looks dazed and confused, being dragged away by a masker dressed in black and blue. He isn't hard to miss, especially since Armstrong recognizes him as the man who spoke to his young master only a few minutes ago.

"Why, I believe that is Edward Elric. The only son of the Elrics!" He exclaims, "And to think such a nice young man was here uninvited and I was speaking to him only a moment ago! Ha! What a coincidence, not?" He asks Alphonse. His grin freezes in his face when he sees the face of his young master.

His face is pale, and even the light spots on his nose seemed to lighten with his horror. "Oh, God," He whispers, low enough that even Armstrong doesn't hear him. "I'm in love with my only enemy, the only true angel of this planet. Oh, why couldn't I have seen??"

"Is there something wrong, Young Master?" Armstrong worriedly asks. Alphonse subconsciously shakes his head furiously, his shock still showing in his eyes.

His servant doesn't interpret his sudden and strange behaviour.

"Come, Young Master, the guests are leaving." His friend points out, opening his great palm out. "We must have you dressed for bed."

Alphonse barely hears him. He turns his whole body and before he has a chance to finish his relocation of body position his feet are running. He runs between the pillars, up the staircase, down the hallway, through the open door and throws his weight down onto the small mattress where he holds a fist against his mouth in an attempt to keep himself from letting out a moan of anguish. But nothing stops his tears from flowing.


	6. Act II Scene 1

Star Crossed Lovers

Summary: Elricest based on Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet. Sequel to "Kiss Me"

Disclaimer: Fullmetal Alchemist (c) Hiromu Arakawa, Romeo & Juliet (c) William Shakespeare

Rate: PG 15

Warnings: Elricest. Medieval Ages. Sexual references and language. Very long read. One-sided RosexEd. Traces of RoyEd, RoyxHughes. Others: TrishaxHavoc, CatherinexHohenheim, HughesxEnvy

Author's comments: Love on a willow tree!! XD

Ok, no.

I ne...want to tell you guys something.

I am not trying to be professional at writing. It's not a dream, it's not something I necessarily love to do…I write because it's a minor hobby. Or maybe a way to kill time. Maybe it's a way to practice on expressing my ideas (as I am terrible at doing so). Maye it's to give ideas to other authors/artists. Maybe it's to pleasure fans or to spread word on Elricest or on a debatable question. Maybe it's for getting better grades in Art and English class. I don't know.

But I'm not trying to be professional, I merely want to improve my writing/drawing. So when you're about to type a review or a comment, don't give me lies. Tell me what you honestly think cuz that's what I want. I want to know how I can improve, I don't want to hear that I can be a great author or a great artist because I won't. I really believe that it's not in my destiny to be able to draw or write, but I try anyway.

Writing isn't too important to me but drawing? I've been struggling for years now trying to overcome my pre-written inability to draw. And so far, it seems that it's possible to change your destiny if you try. Maybe I'll overcome it all together. But anyway...

If you're honest with me, I'll be honest to you. And this way, the both of us can ameliorate in many ways liars can't. Hey, Equivalent Exchange. The exchange of respect. Respect me, respect you, respect all.

Roll away.

* * *

Act II - Scene 1

The evening is quiet, the world still for once. The wind had stopped its breathing, the leaves in a silent sleep. The world seems empty and hollow, though the darkness that the colors in the night reflect are blending in its splendor. But Edward doesn't see all this, and doesn't notice. He is in his own world where black is auburn, navy is a light-beige, the white stars sweet freckles. He strolls around the walls of the home of which the person he is thinking of lives in, and he patrols the area as though protecting its inhabitants of intruders. He looks up at the precipitous walls and burrows his brow, eyeing the stones that made footholds up the wall.

"I can't stop myself from being here," he says aloud, placing his palm on a brick. "So I'll go where my real home is. In his arms once again…"

He sighs, the memory of the night before fiddling with his heart strings and the corners of his lips. He doesn't hesitate and before he knows it, he finds himself on the other side of the wall on all fours; grinning to himself at his silent and sneaky entrance.

"Oh Ed, WARD!" Calls out a familiar name. The holler brings Edward down to his knees, hissing curses as he crouches against the wall.

"Forget it, Hughessio," someone tiredly replies. "He probably went home to bed!"

"Nah, he's the kind of guy who would sneak around into other people's beds! I'm sure he's somewhere around here…" Footfalls are heard, and they stop directly in front of section of the wall where the stones protruded more; the section where Edward crouches only a foot of stone away from Hughessio and Roy's feet.

"Well, I'm not sure…He kind of did take a big blow with Rose and all…"

"Ha! That Rose! His only way to arouse him!" Suddenly, scratching noises make slight vibrations under Edward's feet. He frowns, and judging by Roy's next words, he too seems to be doing the same thing.

"Uh, Hughes. What are you doing?"

"I'm drawing a circle! One that will summon him from the dead and bring him to life!"

"I don't understand?"

"Simple. We get on one side, put our hands on the circle I drew out here (see my artistic abilities?) and we just force our energy onto it and Ed will come popping right out!"

Roy laughs. "Stop speaking nonsense! If Edward heard you…"

"Ed, my friend. Ed." Hughessio corrects, letting out a grunt indicating that he is sitting on the ground. "For 'word' doesn't belong in his name anymore. Love silenced him and ate away at his own name. Maybe that's why his height is just as short! After all, he did mention something about being in a hole and not able to reach the ground itself."

Edward clenches his fist in anger and grinds his forehead against the rough stone wall to keep himself from jumping over the wall and strangle the frivolous man who dared to mention his height.

"Come on, sit down!" Hughessio sings, ebullient. "Here, clap your hands and murmur after me, 'Oh, Edward Elric! Divine shortness! Little Cupid-boy over his head in love! Come, friend, we are summoning you from the depths of hell! Come to us, let us welcome you with open arms! Come, come, come!'"

"Hughessio! No, I refuse! Especially not the last part!" Roy exclaims embarrassedly. "I didn't understand what you meant by 'arousal' but now that I do, I'm just going to stop trusting in you all together!"

"Hmph, it was worth the try, right?" The other man laughs. Edward's body relaxes as he hears him patting himself down. "But you might be right. He might be in bed already trying to sleep away from the 'cruelties of Life' and escape to his dreams."

"That's what I'd like to do too. Come on, let's go. There's no point in looking for him if he doesn't even want to be found."

"…But I don't like it." Hughessio starts to say as he walks away. "If we close our eyes away from his blinding love, he won't be able to find himself back home to us…"

"Don't worry, I'm sure he's more sensible than that. He'll come back to us, you'll see."

Ed waits until their footsteps dwindle to silence and raises his head.

"Forgive me, my friends." Edward whispers, his voice inaudible to them. "I don't forget about you but my heart turned towards someone else. I can't put myself with you two because it will only hurt me more. And I know, though you try to hide it, that when I get hurt, you do too. Forgive me, dear friends. Until my sore heart can be mended by my love, I cannot turn away from my cure into your unintentionally hurtful arms."

He gets up and stretches a few and shakes off some aches away. He starts towards the house before looking back at the wall, guilt showing in his eyes. But he turns away, and fights his way through the limbs of the trees into the presence of the one that stood in a lighted balcony. Alphonse's head is tilted up towards the moon, its silver light mirroring worry out of his eyes and into his surroundings. The two obliviously breathe the air that the trees disperse, its leaves slapping Edward's arms as though trying to pull him back. "Stop, stop, stop," cry they, its thorns tearing at his vest. "shhhhtop, shhhtop…" But he responds nothing to Nature, and is oblivious to the world. He only sees those moon-like eyes, earthen hair, apple-sweet lips…

And finally, he's there. The visage of the young man makes Edward's heart leap in joy and he shies away from the balcony and happily cups his palms onto his hot cheeks. _The air seems sweeter,_ he thinks, cowering behind a tree but keeping one eye out of its shadows to watch Alphonse. _And warmer…much, much warmer…_


	7. Act II Scene 2

Star Crossed Lovers

Summary: Elricest based on Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet. Sequel to "Kiss Me"

Disclaimer: Fullmetal Alchemist (c) Hiromu Arakawa, Romeo & Juliet (c) William Shakespeare

Rate: PG 15

Warnings: Elricest. Medieval Ages. Sexual references and language. Very long read. One-sided RosexEd. Traces of RoyEd, RoyxHughes. Others: TrishaxHavoc, CatherinexHohenheim, HughesxEnvy

Author's comments: C-Chan is crazy, she wants to make a doujinshi out of this when she's going to be studying during the summer 8D but I love you for that!!!! Check it out on b-wanted.deviantart .com

I'm not too happy with this chapter but…oh, well, I'm too lazy to make it better and I barely have time to make any changes to it anyway. I can't explain my messed up similes well enough…

* * *

Act II Scene II

Edward stays behind the tree, watching attentively and with the same drunken gaze as he had the night before to Alphonse, who sits perched on the balcony with a finger absent-mindedly smoothing the marble. The motion makes Edward squirm and his heart races wildly as he imagines that finger tracing patterns over his skin. He finds his own fingers clawing at the tree bark in anticipation, multiple desires causing turmoil in his mind and quickening his breath.

"Dear God," he breathes. "Look at how he shines, so beautiful so. The contrast with the black satin sheets on which the stars rest, and his pale cheeks on which his darling freckles dot…oh, how to describe him! He could be the God of the Night for all I know. See how even the moon seems to be darker, for eyes as silver as his cannot compare." He leans on a twig and it snaps, snapping his own mind back to reality and forcing his knees to bend quickly and retreat behind the tree.

Alphonse hears the breaking branch and abruptly turns his head, scanning the garden hopefully. A moment passes without an answer and he sighs deeply and sorrowfully and returns to his previous position, resting his palm on his cheek.

"Oh, Edward…" he sighs. "Why must you be Edward? Edward, Edward, how that name comforts my mind and my soul, how it pronounces so sharply and yet so soft on my tongue. How I wish that he owning that name would place it on my tongue with his own so I may swallow it and make it disappear inside of me forever. If only, if only I can!"

He shifts his position and cranes his neck up towards the moon. "Oh, dear moon, you who changes appearance every month, couldn't something be done to 'Elric' that which I loathe, and replace the first two letters into an 'ad'? Add it and erase the 'El'. Please, only something so simple; couldn't it be done?" He waits for the wind to stop brushing against his lips and lets his brow wrinkle and his eyes blink tears back. "Why must it be like this…"

Edward's chest squeezes in sorrow at his words, and he sighs softly to the ground before hearing his own voice break the silence.

"Yes, dear moon, why could it not be possible?" He asks out loud, startling Alphonse. "You with such a small figure but with a big heart, could you not listen to yourself and find reason in our pleas? You who stands only so close to me and yet too far to reach, could you not hold out your hand so I may reach it and tell me that it is possible, all we have to do is join our hands and bond us together through the means of love?"

"Who is it? That speaks so boldly to the moon and hearing my private thoughts?" The younger boy asks, trying to search through the darkness for the voice.

"How bold of you to refer to yourself in third person, little one." Edward teases, emerging only slightly but not enough for Alphonse. "And I prefer not to tell you because it is a name that you hate and thus one that hurts me most when I say it out loud. If it were written, I would tear it up and have your silken hands re-write it to whatever you wish."

"I didn't even hear your voice speak a hundred words and yet I know who you are." Alphonse bends over and finds Edward's eyes gleaming pools of gold and smiles. "Edward, is it? Is it you, dear Elric?"

"I am neither, since both names bring sinful pain and cold onto your warm kisses."

Alphonse blushes and speaks again. "It is you. You're the only one I've ever kissed, and ever will. You're here but you don't show yourself." He pauses, then quickly relents his tacit invitation to come closer. "No, wait, the guards will see you. Don't come into the light."

He leans in some more and whispers, "How did you come here? And why? The guards will kill you if they find you and what will happen to me if that happens!?"

Edward looks around from where he stands behind the tree and finds a branch. He hoists himself upwards and starts climbing over where Alphonse waits anxiously. "It's all right, love. Nothing stands in the way of our love and death won't part us either. I'd rather be found dead but happy that you care about me than die thinking that you only kissed me last night because you were so young and so desperate for pleasure and amusement that you chose your own enemy to appease yourself." By then he reaches his destination, and hops down onto the balcony. "Then again, I might have preferred that too."

Before he could let go of the branch, Alphonse's cheek collides into his chest and buries his nose deep into his vest. "I've missed you so much…and no, what you say is a lie, I promise. I'd never use you and I don't even know how. I cannot lie to save my life, let alone yours." He looks up from Edward's arms and smiles meekly at his confession. "So don't allow yourself be caught, please? I know you would let yourself be dragged away with a smile, I somehow know you well enough to know that you become naïve when I am close by."

Edward laughs and hugs the child close and rests his chin on his head. "You seem to know more about myself than I do. Tell me some more, what are some other things that I don't know about?"

"Well, you have five knots in your braid. Last night and even today. I counted."

"And you have twenty-three freckles."

"How did you-"

"I counted."

Alphonse laughs and buries his head into his chest again and breathes deeply. "You smell so good…"

"And you like the angels."

"And how, may I ask," the younger one teases, "would you know how angels smell like?"

"Because right here, right now…" Edward replies, pulling back to meet his eyes. "I have an angel in my arms and if this isn't Heaven, then I don't know where I am."

He kisses his forehead and trails his lips over his crimson cheeks. The younger boy chuckles and lets his lover's lips take over his own and kiss him deeply and soothingly. They let go with a happy sigh.

"Oh, Edward," Alphonse whispers, cupping Edward's cheeks and brushing his nose against his. "Edward, Edward…Edward…"

"What is it?" Edward asks.

"Nothing, I only take great pleasure pronouncing your name."

"I believed you did not like it."

"No, your last name, Edward. Well, I do like the sound of it but knowing that it defines as my enemy…it's…well…I wish something could be done about it." He claws absent-mindedly at Edward's golden strands and sighs sorrowfully.

"I…We can change it," the older boy says, tightening his hold on the boy. "We can give our vows to each other and I can change my name to yours."

"Would you? Really?" Alphonse says, looking up at Edward who replies to him with a calm smile. "But…then you would be shunned from your family. Won't they mind? Or your friends?"

"We don't have to tell anybody, we can do this in secret." He soothes, smoothing his palm up and down his back. "I'd do anything for you. I'd swear by the moon, I'd swear on my life. I'll do anything to be with you for always and forever. Anything, little one, anything…" He bends over to kiss him again.

The youngest stops his lips with his delicate fingers and waits for Edward's eyes to peek out of their eyelids. "But how? No one would let us, both by the family feud and our genders. You understand that you're running a risk! You're an only child and you only have one life. Besides, we barely know each other and yet here we are, discussing marriage like it's what people do after knowing each other for a day."

"No, no, no, little one," Edward hushes. "I am for real. I wouldn't do this if I weren't so in love with you right now. I want you and I need you. I want us to be bonded forever even when we're apart. I want to be a part of your life and a part of you. I never proposed to anyone until today. I'm not doing this merely because you're just a someone I barely know. I do know you, and I know that you are the one I'm in love with and that you're the one I'd do anything for. Marry me, Alphonse, or make my wedding day my funeral day."

Alphonse eyes him with a crumpled look. He can't hold it back and he breaks down, sobbing uncontrollably down his chest. "I do, I do! Edward, Edward, I love you too. I want to be yours and yours only. I want to be there when I am not. Forever and ever I want to be in your comfort and in your presence. Yes, yes, let us marry. And if we don't, I shall follow you to the grave and I will go with you to Hell if God forbids our entrance."

They quickly meet their lips into another kiss and it deepens more, and for while the world's troubles are smothered into nothing by their lips. They forget that they're enemies by blood, they forget that they're both boys, they forget that they've only known each other for barely a day.

Edward slides his tongue into Alphonse's mouth, breathing his gasp into him. He pronounces his own name, slowly and softly, onto his lips. Alphonse eagerly swallows it in and pronounces a new name back into Edward. The older boy then slowly lowers him to the ground and they kiss for hours on end, until they're so dizzy with love that both of their eyes are marked with shadows. When they finally let go of each other, they link their fingers with one another, whispers more words of love to one another, before letting go and awaiting for the new day's light to light their flushed cheeks.


	8. Act II Scene 3

Star Crossed Lovers

Summary: Elricest based on Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet. Sequel to "Kiss Me"

Disclaimer: Fullmetal Alchemist (c) Hiromu Arakawa, Romeo & Juliet (c) William Shakespeare

Rate: PG 15

Warnings: Elricest. Medieval Ages. Sexual references and language. Very long read. One-sided RosexEd. Traces of RoyEd, RoyxHughes. Others: TrishaxHavoc, CatherinexHohenheim, HughesxEnvy

Author's comments: Author's comments: Whew, better hurry up and finish this before interest in continuing this story diminishes to nothing. This is exactly why I can't become an author; I'm way too impatient to write chapter stories ¦ D Sucks…

* * *

Act II Scene III

Sister Elizabeth is a certain person no one can describe accurately. She is gentle, but when she cups your hands they are forceful and determined. Yes. 'Determined' would be the most suitable word to describe her. A determination that comes close to stubbornness but not quite, for when she finally gives in it is only when she feels…no, when she knows that God would accept the argument.

And right now, she had absolutely no trace of doubt that He wouldn't ever listen to this ludicrous young boy standing before her either.

"_Marry!?_" She cries, forming startling echoes down across the church and turning heads of those who were in the courtyard outside the church walls.

Edward sharply inhales and gives a small wince. _Curses…_ "I mean, not _marry_ but…just bonding. Uniting, more like. Uniting…two…men," He chuckles nervously. "Or even children, if with men it's not possible…"

"Edward," the clergy sighs. "Where in God's name did you fantasize those ideas? Have your companions fed you with more insanities again?"

"No, no, no," Edward denies, holding his palms up. "Hughessio's got nothing to do with this and Roy-"

"Why do you ask, then?" She says, ignoring Edward's raised eyebrows over her interruption at his mentioning of Roy. "If you tell me something strange I will seriously assign you to a Confessions' Stand."

Edward lets out a forced laugh and she shakes her head. She turns her back to him as she does so, and produces footsteps down towards the altar where she begins to prepare for prayer. _God knows I am in need of his holy guidance…_

"Just, you know, crossed my humble mind," He replies, stepping his way to the altar also.

"You mean to say that during your dark time of grieving over your lovely Rose you suddenly thought of if whether or not men and children can marry. Yes, Edward, very convincing." Not only was she 'determined', but clever enough to use it to sidetrack from the original subject. Edward pouts slightly and adds another adjective to her personality: foolproof.

"We-ell…" He shyly reciprocates, bashfully tip-toeing around the nun. "It's…slightly complicated."

"The confessionals are open, troubled child, and God shall help you solve your problems." She turns and walks away.

Edward's shoulders falls and he pouts more deeply and also crosses his arms. _Every moment I utter, 'complicated', she forces me into the confession stands. It's as though she wishes not to help her 'troubled child' as she always calls me…_

He runs up to her and tries persuading again, "Holy Sister, you shelter the homeless, you feed the hungry, you guide the misguided, you help the souls devoid of hope. Am I a person with a life so much worse than they, that you cannot possibly help me? Could it be, that you the Holy Sister, turns me away when I need God the most?"

He forgets the hollow walls of the Church and stops to listen his echoes travel down the ears of church-goers, who in turn crane their necks towards the altar from which the voice spoke from. The clergywoman, enraged, spins around, grabs his wrist, and pushes him through a door.

He stumbles into the room and hears the door being locked. He turns, only to face the enraged ruby-red eyes of his well-known companion.

"Edward," she hisses slowly. "You _know_ well in your heart that I sacrificed the splendors of life just to be dressed like this and to walk among the walls of the House of God without being shunned. You know for yourself that I was cursed with the eyes of the devil and skin of the dead and hair of the witches. It took me three different lives, three different names, to come to this point and I am NOT letting some little vermin who cannot confess one little problem turn the thousand times I've confessed and begged for God's forgiveness into _nothing_."

Her eyes glow and her brows are crossed together. Edward's golden eyes watch them a while then gives a small smile. "So you understand how I feel." He calmly replies. "I have sinned, but feel not obliged to confess. I feel there is nothing wrong with what I've done, just as much as you felt during those 'thousand times you've confessed' for the fact that you were born…a little different from the others." He walks around her and tilts his head up at a tapestry that hangs next to the door.

When she doesn't reply, Edward takes the silent greeting and continues his explanation. "Unlike you, however, I am using my sin to a benefit. I'm only asking whether it's possible, nothing more. Yes, I'm in love with a one of my kind. A Son of God, just like me. But one so beautiful, so blessed with the features of God's angels…Oh, Sister, if you can bond me with him and reunite us as One family…with him, I would be a brother of an angel!"

"Enough, Edward, enough," she says, turning her head to the boy. "You are going over your head once more. It's impossible. Loving one of your kind is against humanity, against God's Will. And to marry one would be an act of the De-"

"Not marry, I said, uniting!" Edward confronts, whipping around and grabbing her shoulders. "Unite us as Brothers. Unite us as Sons of the Lord, Father of all Men. Unite us, so that our blood is the same as the other. That our blood would be of Adam and Eve, blood of the Lord. There is no sin in strengthening two Sons' bond into a brotherly link, and no sin to love your Brothers, both of your fellow countrymen or your kin. It says in the Bible itself, "those who love God must love their brothers and sisters also". And I love God, for creating my existence and placing Alphonse into my destiny. I love Him for giving me Rose, who was my only reason to attend the party where my Fate was then sealed by my love's lips. I love Him, though man himself, and I abide by his commandments. So it is possible, Holy Sister. I love all my Brothers, and I will especially to a Brother united by God himself. Love is no sin, in any shape or form, because it is He who created it."

He stops, waiting for an answer from the bemused woman. She yanks her arms back and fumes a little, bowing her head towards the ground in deep thought. For a while, all is silent. Even the pigeons that perch on the windowsills are quiet, and there's no rustle in the air. So silent, in fact, that one can almost hear dust settling upon the old prayer benches that lay in neat rows before the two individuals.

Finally, Elizabeth turns with a small look on defeat on her face. She looks deep into Edward's hopeful eyes and gives him a small nod.

"When do you want it to be?"


	9. Act II Scene 4

Star Crossed Lovers

Summary: Elricest based on Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet. Sequel to "Kiss Me"

Disclaimer: Fullmetal Alchem

ist (c) Hiromu Arakawa, Romeo & Juliet (c) William Shakespeare

Rate: PG 15

Warnings: Elricest. Medieval Ages. Sexual references and language. Very long read. One-sided RosexEd. Traces of RoyEd, RoyxHughes. Others: TrishaxHavoc, CatherinexHohenheim, HughesxEnvy

Author's comments: Guess what, you guyz 8D I reached Page 50 of the Microsoft Word Document with the 'A' in "Author's Comments" XDD okay, that was random o.o

Sorry for the delay…you won't believe how busy and how unmotivated I was for continuing this. But I'm determined to not turn this into another Promise Fic (cough) so here we go.

PS: Oh god, I've been keeping the document for this chapter in FFNet for over a month!! AHH I'm so sorry!!! I'm stupid..so stupid. I'm glad I realized it now.

One more note: I am going to translate this to Spanish very soon and will be available through a link to LiveJournal in a few weeks' time. Wish me luck! XD

--

Act II Scene IV

Waiting, Alphonse finds, is one of the most agonizing human actions God ever created. Waiting for morning to rise, waiting for your breakfast to cook, pacing and accidentally kicking your cat in impatience, waiting for her scratches to stop bleeding, waiting for her to stop brooding so you can amuse yourself with her…all just to wait yet some more for a small 'yes' or 'no'.

He heavily drops his back against the mattress and lets force pull his arms back over his head from the impact. He stares at the overhead piece of wood that holds the bed curtains in place. He begins counting the creases in the curtains with a small frown showing his impatience as his eyes scan and collect all the small shadows collected underneath each fold. But to his dismay, a breeze from the open window disturbs the red velvet folds into many ripples and waves. Still no Edward.

He rolls to his side and clutches his pillow. _Marrying_. He shivers, thinking of all the things they would be allowed to do once they are bonded through the means of love. He imagines to the point where he can almost feel Edward's body rest beside his with his arms circling his back and his legs tangling in between his. He imagines Edward's fingers smoothing the small strands on the left side of his head over and over, murmuring words of love down his forehead while giving little kisses and licking his lips as he tilts Alphonse's chin up and…

A rustle and a sound of landing feet. He abruptly sits up, kicks his heels off the side of the mattress and rushes over to the balcony where stood his beloved with open arms and a warm smile.

"Good morning, little one."

Alphonse does not hesitate and immediately rushes forward and greets his lover with a tight embrace. "Edward! Oh, I missed you so. What took you so long?"

"Forgive me," the other replies, his arms already around the younger one's shoulders and drawing his finger up and down his spine. "Thinking of you and speaking of you spent my energy to a point to which even the sun's bright kisses did not awaken me from my slumber. I'm sorry…"

"Never you mind, Edward. Tell me," Alphonse pulls back a few inches and looks up lovingly at Edward. "What is their response?"

"Hmmm…" Edward stalls, tilting his chin upwards and observing the skies as though looking for an answer. "I wonder what it was?"

"What? Edward, don't tell me you have forgotten!" Alphonse, startled. He balls his hands into fists and he presses them onto Edward's shoulders hard. "Or are you mocking me? Please, Edward, tell me…"

"Hmmm…" He dawdles again, tilting his head towards one side and glances over at the branches that serves as his ladder to Alphonse's balcony. "I think she said yes…but maybe she said no…"

He turns his head and looks down at Alphonse questioningly, who looks up at him with slight impatience. "I wonder…" He whispers, touching Alphonse's forehead with his. "What do I receive in return for becoming your blood brother?"

The youngest one's eyes sparkle as they widen in joy, he tries to holds back a grin, fails, and instead laughs into Edward's face. "Oh, Edward, you…!" He switches the angle of his chin and meets Edward's lips. His fists uncurl at the same time and their palms slide over his shoulders to loop behind his neck in a tight chain link-like hold. "You tease, you will get what you deserve. Anything you'd like; what will it be, my Brother?"

"Not yet, little one," his 'Brother' grins. "You'll soon find out on our first night together, tonight."

Alphonse giggles, a blush and a twinkle of his eyes conveying the message that he'll do whatever Edward wishes to do. He kisses him again, the urge to kiss him firmly overtaking his small body. He pulls Edward back into his room until they collide with the mattress and they fall in a heap on the bed. Edward's hands are everywhere, and Alphonse doesn't bother to keep track of where exactly those warm fingers were touching him. His cheeks, his neck, now down his back, up his arms, over his chest, over his hips, pulling under the knee, over his thigh-

His breath hitches as the elder's palm glides over his buttocks, and his whole body compresses for a bit at how momentarily _good_ it felt for a second. He looks up at Edward, who looks down at him worriedly, his puppy-like eyes silently asking him if he did something wrong. He shakes his head, a smile reassuring those eyes, and they go back to their previous acts.

Their moans add to their touches and it's not before long that they're both too dizzy to continue, their breaths coming in deep intervals and let out in short gasps. They grope for each other, yearning to continue. But the either are already half-spent, and their hearts would not stop beating too hard against their chests. They end up spooning the other in a warm cuddle, Edward's hands this time only moving up and down Alphonse's cheeks. And he, in turn, smoothing his fingers through a few strands of golden hair that slung over one shoulder out of habit.

After a long comfortable silence filled with low gasping, Edward breaks the moment and starts speaking into fair brown locks. "We're going to be brothers…" he whispers slowly in joy. His hand travels lower, until they meet Alphonse's knuckles to which he brings up towards his lips and kisses them. He reveals his fingers to them and kisses each digit, tenderly appreciating every single one of them.

The younger one slightly tilts his head and smiles at the gesture. He inches closer, and pulls his fingers away to replace them with his lips. When they return to only touching heated air, he whispers back, "Are you happy, Brother?"

Edward chuckles lowly before replying, "No, I'm something that's beyond human comprehension of happiness. Perhaps I feel Godly right now, like nothing can come in between us with our love. I feel like I have the ability to do anything, now that a saint's hands touched mine and the same angel's lips kissed mine and my world's blood will soon be flowing through my veins." He smiles to Alphonse, and brings his hand up again to smooth his knuckles of his cheeks. "Alphonse…my beautiful Alphonse…"

Alphonse's heart abruptly contrasts, and tears collect at the borders of his eyes. But before he could utter a reply, a knock resounds through his bedroom door and they both sharply turn their attention towards the door. "Alphonse? Young Master, it is time for you classes!"

"Oh, I've forgotten!" Alphonse cries, sitting up. "Wait a moment, Armstrong, I am coming!"

The door rattles, startling Edward for a while before realizing that the door is locked. "Young Master? Why have you locked your door? Is there something wrong?"

"No! No, nothing's wrong, just wait for a few moments!" He hastily pulls Edward towards the balcony and ushers him towards the branches. Edward hesitates, before giving him a quick kiss goodbye before starting his climb down to the ground. The rattle of the door brings Alphonse back to the presence of the room as his lover runs through the brambles of the garden and disappearing into the trees. He opens the door and lets Armstrong in.

The servant walks in, inspecting the area before relaxing his shoulders. "My word, I was starting to believe your door was blocked and you could not get out! After all, you have never locked your door on me so only naturally will I be afraid of such a thing." He laughs at his paranoia and looks down at his young master. "You do know that after knowing practically everything about you and watching you grow I still trust you with all my heart."

"Yes Armstrong…" he murmurs, avoiding his gaze. He looks over at the bed nervously, searching for any clues that might indicate what he had been doing for the past hour or so. With Edward…

"Taking a morning nap, were you? Hmm, perhaps you couldn't sleep last night? Would you like to rest some more?"

He looks back at his worrying friend and smiles warmly at him. "Oh, Armstrong, I'm perfectly fine. I could not have felt any better. Thank you though, for your concern. Now, help me bring my notes down to the library."

"Ah, yes. Mr. Mays is waiting for you in the studies. Come Alphonse, go downstairs and greet your teacher, I will take care of your notes."

"Thank you Armstrong, you're the most kind."

After acknowledging his servant's beam, he trots down the staircase, briskly walking over to the library, almost skipping over to the center of the room where the grand table sat. He took his seat, giving his teacher the biggest smile he ever gave him, and sits not listening to his teacher at all for the next two hours until his classes end with his mind only full of his to-be Brother.


	10. Act II Scene 5

Star Crossed Lovers

Summary: Elricest based on Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet. Sequel to "Kiss Me"

Disclaimer: Fullmetal Alchemist (c) Hiromu Arakawa, Romeo & Juliet (c) William Shakespeare

Rate: PG 15

Warnings: Elricest. Medieval Ages. Sexual references and language. One-sided RosexEd. Traces of RoyEd, RoyxHughes. Others: TrishaxHavoc, CatherinexHohenheim, HughesxEnvy

Author's comments: I was so inspired and awed by Myterious-Rulerose's flash on her version of Romeo & Juliet Elricest style that it just brought me right back to this fic. Damn, I hate myself for not doing this sooner But I managed to type this up over the break and I was going to make it like a surprise Christmas gift but I totally forgot about it when I went to France so…sorry for the delay o.o

I've got some bad news (for me) because my school hates me so it wants me to suffer. See, I first wrote this fic last year and my teacher didn't show us that there are certain rules to writing Shakespearan tragedies and it's NOW that he tells us how to differentiate them TELL ME EARLIER, DAMMIT! NOW MY STUBBORNNESS ON KEEPING ORIGINALITY AND ITS RULES HAVE MADE ME CHANGE THE WHOLE FREAKING OUTLINE OF THE STORY!!! bawls I hate this world! TT[TT

So I'm thinking of deleting the story from the net and re-writing and posting all the chapters at once when I'm finished with the story. I'm posting this chapter so that I can get a response from y'all (btw, sorry that Roy and Ed seems to have gone sudden character changes in this chapter but I went back to the first one and realized how poorly I wrote Roy and now it's hard to write him -- and I even made a reference to a greek goddess that shouldn't be an existent figure in Amestris ..' yeah, a lot of things don't make sense in this fic). And about this chapter…the beginning's so embarrassing I'm so sorry O///////O'''

I'd like to hear your comments…I'm pro-deleting because it'll be really advantageous since it will keep character sync, be a bit shorter, relieve readers and I alike from waiting and stressing, etc. I'm sorry, but unless one of you are smarter than me and have an idea for an alternative ending that I could be satisfied with, I'll do it.

Please post a reply! D:

* * *

Act II - Scene 5

"Brother…"

His little voice ends with a slow sigh; a sigh slightly covering a small moan that makes itself audible after its passing. Edward captures it, sinking his moist crimson lips onto his, kissing his previously breathless lips with enough tenderness to nearly send Alphonse into tears again. He is so happy, so light and so full of love. Edward breaks the contact as he frees himself from between his legs. He looks back down at his little lover and his half-lidded silver eyes. His Alphonse, so beautiful and so loving and so simply _everything_, all his.

"Alphonse…Little one…" He gulps, breathing a few more ragged breaths. "Is everything all right? Did I hurt you? Did I…" His voice fades away, letting his worrying eyes speak for him. He eyes the flushed cheeks, the soft but heavy breathes from his lips, his heaving chest glistening with sweat, his…

"I'm…I feel…" Alphonse breathes, fingers groping and smoothing Edward's jawline. He pulls in closer, nearly nose to nose with his sweet little one. "C-complete," and he smiles, a little weakly but his eyes sparkling with the truth. Yes, _complete_.

Edward kisses him, gliding his hands over a spot on the pillow so that a constant balance can let him keep his position for a longer period of time. Arms encircle, knees and ankles wrap around his lowered hips. They melt into each other like ceramic clay. Two equal objects becoming one, just like their most pure act of love demonstrated only a few moments ago.

Alphonse lets his closed eyes relax first, sighing as he equally loosens his hold on Edward. He lets him, and moves over so that he lies by Alphonse's side while one half of his body drapes over Alphonse's like a blanket. The younger one turns over on his side and presses his cheek up close to Edward's bare chest. They close into each other, Edward's arm like a mother bird's wing protecting its young.

"I love you, Alphonse," he whispers, kissing his brow.

"I love you too," his reply whispers back.

"Are you happy, Alphonse? That we've…we've become one?" He asks, his arms encircling over his back, worry coating his words.

"I couldn't ask for more, my Brother. We've sworn in as blood brothers, declared our love to each other, and now this." Alphonse chuckles in the dark, closing the space between them even more. "I couldn't ask for more."

Edward smiles, and closes his eyes to the world. "You're my everything. My one and all, Alphonse."

"And you, my all and one."

Edward smiles. "One is all…"

"And all is one."

--

"And so now we have this little secret code between us." He happily chirps. "So whenever we see each other we say just that and suddenly, we both feel the meaning of those words go right into our souls and oh, Elizabeth, to have such a warm unphysical contact at the same exact time…" He sighs, propping his chin on his knuckles and looking up almost adoringly at the opaque colored glass that depicts a scene from the Book of God. "It's absolutely fantastic."

"Well, I am happy for you but really, is there a need to tell me this? I would love to have as much to do with this whole affair as an ant would to the doings of a fish." She shakes her head, wishing for the hundredth time that she hadn't bonded those two stone-headed boys. _I thank thee, my Lord for not punishing me even more. The price that I must pay is already coming in with the ranting of this absurd little child!_

"Oh but what you've done is more than I can do for you! I do not know how to repay you, let alone describe my gratitude for your actions! I am saved from what cruelties life befell on me before I met him and now that we have become one and complete, life could not have been a most happy creation." He jerks his chin back and clasps his hands together loudly and begins to pray to the God he had believed hated him. "I thank you, God of all creations on this Earth, for the happiness that thee has brought down to bless all those who bid to your sayings. 'Love your enemies and cherish your Brothers'. Yes, yes, I always shall!" He kisses his fists and squeezes them together in joy, Elizabeth sighing once more at his content state.

"To think that only a week ago he was crying his soul out in hopes of leaking it out 'til he dies." She mutters, crossing her body before the grand alter. "Forgive his naïve and youthful mind, he still hasn't been shown what the world still has to offer…"

"Sister, Sister," Edward calls, getting up from the prayer bench and striding over to where she stands. "Love is such a splendid thing. An emotion that goes beyond any price in the world! What do you say if I repay your deep kindness with love? Maybe I can help. Maybe I can call on Roy and-"

Elizabeth whips around, her eyes sharp with an angry glint. "Edward! Enough with the mentions of his name! There is nothing coming between us two, and I am fully determined to only keep my heart pure and whole to the Lord of the Lands, the Holy Father of all Life. I am _not_ to waste my time and my efforts towards someone who barely knows of my existence and-"

But Edward laughs, skipping backwards and giving her a wink. "I was only joking, Sister Elizabeth. Your devotion to God is that of an engraved love in your heart that you've had since you were born. Just like my whole world revolves around Alphonse, yours is with God. Do not fret, dear Sister," he says, one foot already stepping out of the doors. "I completely understand your feelings." With that, he disappears into the sunlight and lets the door creak shut.

_To add to my price, I am forced to be an equal to that short-minded boy,_ she thinks, sighing once more. She looks back up and smiles, and with a small chuckle goes back to reciting her prayers with her God.

--

Hughessio is surprised to see Edward walking gaily towards him, beaming as radiantly as the sun. "Well, well, well!" Hughessio laughs, scooting over so that his friend can plop down on the stone beside him. "I thought you were dead!"

"Ah? But I do not die that easily, not with a heart full of life," Edward laughs, his golden eyes giving off glints of happiness.

Roy eyes him incredulously, trying to understand his sudden change in his mood. Hughessio is bewildered as well. "The past few days or so you've been prancing off to the meadows like a happy horse and on other days you skipped right into the church and not even seeing my presence in the square," he says, suggesting a hidden question in his words.

"I'm sorry that I haven't spent much time with you and Roy, Hughes." The blonde boy apologizes, scratching the back of his head with a sheepish grin. "But now that I have everything that I only need, I can now go and enjoy what I have."

"So you finally learnt your lesson eh, Ed?" Roy smiles, propping his elbow on an elevated knee. "As long as you have us men, you won't need much of anything else!"

"Too true, too true," Edward happily replies, secretly laughing inside. "All living forms would only need a single other man and that would only suffice. Land needs a man to continue its vegetation, rivers need a man to kill off its vast population of sea creatures, animals need man to eat and protect from the predators of the land."

"And the women! Women need men 'else they're helpless and incomplete!" Hughessio chortles, slapping Roy's shoulder with a smirk. "Without men, all humanity is one hopeless heap! No one can live without the authority and power of men!"

"Hughessio, please do not become excited." Roy shakes his head, raising his eyebrows at his closest friend. "It would be vice versa as well since us men cannot be born without mothers and nurses…"

"Again with mothers, Roy. If you really want to have a son or have support or whatever it is you wish for, then find a young maiden and marry her already." Hughessio mocks, glancing over at Edward. "Right, Ed? Roy should just swear his verses in some church and get a life already."

Edward smiles and nods. "Marrying. An act of unification with one that you love; the one and only thing that seals eternal happiness." His cheeks slightly turn into rose as he continues his talk. "You know, Roy, I think it would give you a great satisfaction if you bonded with another. It'd spread such a wonderful feeling through you…"

"Oh, what do you know!" Roy slightly blushes, reaching over to throw a small punch at him. "You being younger than the either of us and telling me what it's like to unite with another. Honestly, it's as though you've actually did get married." He stops, fortunately focusing his view on Hughessio instead of Edward's nervous smile. "Say, Hughessio, that reminds me. What happened to that girl who wanted to share a bed with you the other day? You haven't told me anything."

"Ah, yes, about that." Hughessio grins maliciously, shifting his position to a straight sitting posture. "Well, she is really innocent and all so I had to go slow on her, you know? And-"

"Since when were you a patient one? You always tell me you just get on with the whole ordeal and you finish in less than five minutes." Roy scoffs, earning a laugh from Edward.

"Oh? Five minutes? I've once finished in three." Edward says smugly, smiling rather devilishly at Roy's dropped jaw. Hughessio ignores the lie and waves his arms about to keep the subject on about his relationship.

"No, she's different from the rest of them I assure you! She's really beautiful and oh, if I could have a painted image of her I would engrave it to the memory until every fine detail becomes as knowledgeable to me as the ability to breathe! So anyway, she was actually the one who suggested it and…"

Edward watches his old friends talk and bicker of this new maiden and relaxes into the familiar atmosphere. Everything is all right, nothing can ever go wrong, he thinks.

--

"Hello, Alphonse." She smiles.

"…" Alphonse hesitates at her reproach but stops in his steps all the same. He slightly bows and smiles politely. "Good afternoon, Miss Winris."

She smiles nervously and shifts her feet. Alphonse finds that he cannot move for it seems that she wants to say something. What could it be? What is she here for again? She's come all the way from the borders, but for what? He doesn't remember.

"I was hoping, Young Alphonse, if we could have small talk with one another someday," she speaks, almost hesitatingly. "I know you have classes with your tutor everyday apart from on the days of rest and on special occasions." She meets his eyes and rounds her shoulders up to her cheeks. "Your birthday is this Sunday, is it not?"

Alphonse lifts his head in realization. "O-Oh, why it is," he answers, an embarrassed stutter falling from his lips. "It has slipped off my mind!" Winris beams in amusement.

He laughs at himself for the sake of covering-up his forgetfulness and his guest laughs along with him. "Well, I am glad I have reminded you as a pleasant surprise, and even more so when you hear what I have to say," she says.

Alphonse stops laughing.

…_My son, what do you say to a proposal of a marriage?_

"I am sure that your fathers have explained to you of my region's situation," she says, her words sounding strangely far and blurred. "Our parents have agreed to this long before we've met."

_Just give me a short answer, my son…_

_No…_

"They agreed that on the day you are to become of an age to marry, it will become your wedding day."

_No, no…_

"Master Alphonse," she looks up, hope and anxiety colored in her sapphire eyes. "Since…we do not know each other very well, I was hoping to pass a few moments with you before we wed. On the day after tomorrow, we will officially become husband and wife. I would like us to…enjoy the day we will marry."

_Will you accept her hand and be her husband?._

--

Elizabeth stares at the book lying on the table before the altar. She reads it once again. Then twice more. Then again. _This…This can't be!_ she cries in her thoughts. She looks over her shoulder then back at the bounded collection of paper but it is there, existent and solid between her hands. "_Alphonse Adric and Winris de la Frontiére__ to be wedded on the __Regata Storica on the dawn of noon. They shall swear by the Holy Book of God and…"_

She shuts the book, wanting very much to burn it, to throw it out. A flash of Edward's happy face crosses her mind and she nearly drops the book as she falls to her knees. "_If a man lies with a man as one lies with a woman, both of them have done what is detestable. They must be put to death; their blood will be on their own heads."_

Edward.

She jumps to her feet and takes hurried steps over to the doors. But alas, the guards stand firm beyond those gates; the church's treasures and secrets locked away and protected from prying bandits. She turns away, rushing back to the grand altar where she falls to her knees and ignoring the pain, crosses herself and prays so hard that she whispers them out loud.

"Oh, dear Lord if thee have mercy bestow your pity over the two ill-fated lovers that thy bonded as Brothers; two of the same blood, two of the same Sons of thy Lord, two of the same heart and spirit! Have mercy on their love, have mercy on their blind devotion to the other. Love must go unpunished, for it is the most purest creation thee hath created. Oh, I beg with my life permit the happiness of your Sons, spare them the pain. Oh please, oh please, my Love, my God, spare them death!" she cries.

She continues praying into the night, at the meanwhile Edward is climbing his familiar path into Alphonse's arms; humming softly as he jumps down the manor wall. He crosses the brambles, the familiar leaves, the scratches of the thorns and the wind whipping the branches. But no God stops him for his own feet are taken by the wings of Love. He looks up at the gnarled old tree that allows passage into his beloved's room, and steadily climbs upwards to where he will find his betrothed little one.


	11. Letter to Readers

Dear Readers,

After having gone back and re-editing many mistakes in past chapters along with my previous thoughts about what to do with this self-authored fan story, I decided to stop publishing new chapters of _Star Crossed Lovers _on the Internet (in other words, here and DeviantArt). I decided that I will post new chapters together with newly-edited previous chapters all at once when the final scene of the final Act will have finished. I'll keep the old links/deviations to reassure watchers of this chapter fic (which I greatly appreciate and am grateful for) that this story will indeed come back and also to remind anyone who would look back to their Favorites or their Watching Stories' Lists to remember that this story exists and can read it again once it comes back with its five acts written and completed.

Though it could be true that _Star Crossed Lovers_ could take so long that when the story comes back in its whole, edited, and finished script, interest will have faded; even so I will still publish all five acts when it is over. I feel like this could become my literary masterpiece (even though I've stated before that I have no desire to become a professional writer). I actually wrote this for fun at first, but then I found that I can greatly improve my writing skills with this so I took it to a more serious level; only to find that it has caused me to feel pressured to write more as I continuously promise to post the next scene "soon". I'm afraid that this pressure will lead to bad writing, even though I've already fore-warned that I am slow and unreliable in chapter fics.

With this in mind, I also noted the absence of responses in my last chapter asking for advice on this matter. I assume that only those who are new to this story are interested in whether or not this story will continue. I'm not good at making decisions but if nobody's going to stop me, well…/shrug/ I guess they don't care.

…Which is good news (for me) since I can carry this promise out without any worries. I'm sorry to the few people who have actually debated against my decision but I made my decision. Please know that I'm greatly thankful for your support and believe me, I'm doing this not because I'm selfish (well, at least more selfish than as a human being goes) but I'm also doing this for your benefit. Once all Acts are published, you won't need to wait any longer for months at a time for each chapter, the characters won't suddenly become OOC as the next chapter reveals their actions, etc.

I won't change the main themes of each Scene but there will be added, deleted, or edited excerpts that weren't in the original/previous version of this story. I guess I shouldn't be worried about readers not re-reading them since I am positive that by the time SCL will be released, the story will have been forgotten. SCL only just finished on Act II, a very long way from Act V which is the requirement for all Shakespearean Tragedies; a format of story-telling that I wish to follow (and this, I promise, is for the heck of it since it's possible that I'll have already finished studying Shakespearean Tragedies by the time I finish this)

You're lucky, you'll be getting an entire chapter fic with some 15 chapters(!?) ready without waiting once I'm all done. Oh, and to those who are watching MonElisa as an author, I won't be putting all of my free time into writing this as I, as an obsessive Elricest fan, have other ideas that doesn't involve semi-OC characters going through a very corny Romeo & Juliette-like scenarios.

I wonder if any of you can guess what will happen in the end…I already gave out a huge hint in this story; if anyone can guess what happens in the end (it can only be like who dies) I might post Act III Scene 1 instead of kudos if I'm in a good mood XDD

Thank you, again, for reading SCL. See you in 20 years :D

M.E


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